


Lingering Embers

by inkspilldragon



Category: Promare (2019)
Genre: Burning Rescue Lio Fotia, Established Gueira/Meis (Promare), Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-27 22:28:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 11,061
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22853233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkspilldragon/pseuds/inkspilldragon
Summary: Following the events of the Second Great World Blaze, Lio and Galo have learn how to rebuild and live in a world that will never be the same. Luckily, they don't have to do it alone.
Relationships: Gueira/Meis (Promare), Lio Fotia/Galo Thymos
Comments: 16
Kudos: 132





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I recently watched Promare and absolutely LOVED it, the whole thing was like if a highlighter exploded with cool robots and fun characters! I've been seeing a lot of writers following what happens after the movie, and I wanted to hop on the train! With that, this fic will definitely have some spoilers, so please be wary if you haven't seen the movie! As always, I live and thrive on comments and suggestions, and I'm always open to new fic ideas that anyone would like to see!

When the battle was finished, and Galo Thymos offered a gloved fist in the rising dawn, Lio didn’t hesitate to tap his own bare knuckles against it, hand utterly dwarfed in comparison. 

“GALO!” 

The firefighter stumbled on his feet as almost the entirety of his Burning Rescue team chose that moment to divebomb their beloved rookie, Varys slamming a massive palm against his back while Aina practically hung off his shoulders. Lucia actually _did_ hang off his shoulders, and though Remi stood a respectful distance, he too could be seen scanning Galo anxiously, searching for any sign of injury. 

Galo, on the other hand, happily cackled, spinning Aina and Lucia around with ease as he professed that nothing could keep down his burning soul.

Lio was hit with a sudden pang. This was Galo’s family, happy and alive and whole while his was deep below his feet, a number of them most certainly only piles of ash in the bottom of a pod where they died alone, scared, hurting. He’d acutely felt the death toll back then, strapped to the core, surrounded by the screams and agony of his people.

_Meis… Gueira… are you even still alive?_

Dazed and lost in thought, Lio didn’t register Ignis’ presence until a hand was slammed on his bare shoulder. The point of contact was hot, like a brand on his skin. The realization that non-Burnish skin could be considered even warm compared to his usual temperatures made Lio’s head spin.

“Lio Fotia. We meet again.” Ignis rumbled, and the members of Burning Rescue snapped to attention.

Brushing off the chief’s grip, Lio looked up to meet the blank glint of Ignis’ sunglasses, bright eyes blazing even if no fire danced on his fingertips. “Let me help my people first.” He demanded. “Then I will do whatever you ask of me. Not before.”

That’s when a stiff breeze hit, and a shiver escaped him. He’d never shivered before, even in the coolest of nights on the run the Promare were there to warm him. As he opened his mouth to continue, he was suddenly cut off.

“Wait!” Galo yelled. “Wait a second! Don’t move!!” 

Everyone paused as Galo sprinted back, past a startled Heris, past a cuffed Kray and incapacitated Vulcan and towards the rescue vehicles. Disappearing for a moment, he jogged back with a bundle of fabric in gaudish yellow and red.

Draping it over Lio’s shoulders, Galo grinned. “There! My burning firefighter’s soul will keep you warm in the form of my jacket!”

Lio realized how ridiculous he must look as Aina stifled a snicker, the article completely swamping his thin frame. He sighed. “...thank you, Galo.”

“You’re very welcome, Lio!”

“As I was saying-”

Ignis held up a hand. “The more you talk, the longer those people wait. Emergency response and volunteers will be arriving soon as well, though resources are being spread across the city. Until then, Remi, Varys, Galo, your job is simple. Get those people out of those pods. Aina, you’ll transport them down to where Lucia and Heris will set up a medical bay for the injured and waiting area for the able. Am I clear?”

Heris raised a nervous finger. “It may be… not the best of places given what it did to them... but given the circumstances… There’s a fully stocked medical facility in the Parnassus, if we route all remaining electricity…”

Ignis nodded slowly. “That should work. Heris and Lucia, report there and try to get things started and ready for any injured. Now everybody, get to your posts!”

“Yes, sir!”

Exchanging a familiar fistbump between members, the members of Burning Rescue hurried over to their respective vehicles, except Galo.

He tugged on Lio’s arm impatiently. “C’mon, your people will be nervous around us, right? You need to come with to help be the… what’s the word, lasagna?”

“Liaison.” Lucia chipped in helpfully, grinning with sharp teeth. 

“That’s it!” Galo pumped his fist in the air, dragging Lio with him.

Lio barely had time to breathe out an uncharacteristic but fervent _”Thank you”_ to Ignis before he was bundled off, hopping into the hand of Galo’s mech suit with a boost.

Lucia folded her hands behind her head, pursing her lips to the side. “You’re not actually gonna ask the Mad Burnish guy to hand himself into the cops, are you?” It was less of a question, and more of a statement.

Ignis hummed in response. “We have work to do.” 

“Right!”

The first pod they opened was empty save for the small pile of ash that slowly in the wind before it was hastily slammed shut again to keep more of the remains from escaping. Lio swallowed back bile as Varys and Remi audibly gasped, and even Galo, whose spirit was normally undeterred, closed his eyes for a long, long second. When he opened them, Lio no longer wavered. He looked cool, composed.

He was no longer Lio Fotia in that moment, but the leader of Mad Burnish.

“Set the pods of the dead Burnish aside.” Lio said quietly into the headpiece that Galo had jammed over his ear before launch. “We have funerary rites, but we don’t have time with how many injured there may be waiting. Once we have rescued the living we will pay respects.”

 _”Right!”_ Varys’ voice crackled over the microphone. The pod was marked with blue for identification, and left behind.

Lio wondered how many of those pods would bear the same mark within the next several hours.

“Hey.” Galo leaned out of his suit, brow furrowed. “Are you sure you’re up to this?”

 _No,_ Lio wanted to say. _Who the hell would?_

Instead he smirked, and said, “Are you, Galo Thymos?”

The time ticked by, Lio acutely aware that with every minute that passed another injured Burnish may fade, alone and so close to help. There had been men, women, far too many children, kids who clung to him as their shackles were released, their once-innocent eyes shadowed with fear and grief.

Galo, unsurprisingly, was great at rescuing, his confident smile and enthusiasm lifting spirits even as ash dusted his and Lio’s cheeks.

Lio had never really enjoyed human contact, preferring the security that came from layers of flame and leather jackets. He’d push Guiera off when his general tried to use him as an armrest ( _”You’re so short, Boss! I can’t help it!”_ ), or bat Meis away when he tried to ‘fix’ his hair. 

But when thin little arms desperately clung around his waist, Lio found that he didn’t mind it so much, speaking in hushed, gentle tones as he assured them of safety, that the red and yellows and sirens of Burning Rescue were no longer a death sentence, but salvation.

He knew he was waning, despite the adrenaline still pumping through his veins. He knew that the shivers wracking his body more and more frequently meant nothing good, that despite his resuscitation at Galo’s burning lips that he had _died_ back then.

Still, despite Galo’s worried proddings for his health and suggestions to take a break, Lio took a breath of cool air, and shook his head.

“They need me.”

His composure seemed infallible until Remi and Varys ripped the doors open to adjacent pods, and irate shouting came forth like the sweetest of music to Lio’s ears.

“Oi, what the hell happened out there? Where the hell is he?!”

“Where’s Boss?! What did you do to him?!” 

“Guiera! Meis!” Lio cried out, leaping off Galo’s mech much to its pilot’s alarm, if the ensuing panicked yelp was anything to judge by as he fumbled to catch him.

“LIO!”

Lio swung himself into Meis’ pod at the same time as Guiera, the three colliding in a pile of limbs. A choked sob escaped as he leaned up to wrap his arms around them both, Mei’s long hair tickling his nose, even if he knew it used to be several inches longer just hours before. They both smelled like smoke and leather, like _home_.

“Hey, what the hell’re you crying about?” Gueira said, even as his own face grew wet.

Meis squeezed Lio tightly. “We weren’t sure if you made it,” he murmured darkly. “After you stopped screaming from the core, we knew… but then you and that firefighter lit the world on fire, huh? Me and Guiera, we could hear each other through the walls.”

“We had a helluva long time to chat, too,” Guiera quipped. “What took ya so long?”

Lio chuckled, wishing he could stay here, right here. But he took a step back, squared his shoulders, and schooled his facial expression. “Are either of you injured?”

Gueira smirked, waving his left hand, the fingertips shorter than they should be. “Got this little badge of honor and Meis got a new haircut, but nothing serious.”

“I’m sor-”

“Don’t start that, boss, you just saved the world and all the Burnish in it.” Meis said coolly, putting one hand on his hip and intertwining the other with Gueira’s. “Besides, you know Gueira and I were going to get our wedding bands tattooed, and I needed a fresh ‘do.”

Nodding slowly, Lio took a deep breath. “We’ve got about a third of the pods released,” he reported detachedly. “We don’t have numbers on the number of Burnish dead yet. Volunteers are down below, since emergency resources are scattered around Promepolis. There’s… surprisingly a lot of them. I’ve been gathering the Burnish together as they get out of they pods. They know us. They don’t know Burning Rescue, some have been reacting violently before they see that I’m with them. We’ve got three mechs on extraction. If you’re up to it, we could use you. The Burnish know your faces just as well as mine.”

Gueira and Meis listened dutifully until he finished, their expressions serious. They exchanged a look, and Meis stepped forward, pressing a hand to Lio’s forehead. He frowned.

“You don’t look so good, Boss,” Meis said seriously. “You’re cold as ice. Me and Guiera will handle things from here.”

“Yeah, you should go rest with that hunk of a firefighter you’ve gotten all touchy-feely with! Is that his jacket you’re wearing?” Gueira grinned, pinching Lio’s puffy sleeve between the fingers of his right hand.

Lio glared at him. “Our bodies are all adjusting to the loss of the Promare. I’m fine.”

“Yeah, but Boss, your flames were so much hotter-”

“You haven’t stopped shivering-”

“Guys, _enough_.” He sighed. “Right now, I really need your help. I can’t do this alone. The Burnish might not have the flames anymore, but will you let me lead you one last time?”

Meis softened. “Of course, Lio.”

“Once a Burnish, always a Burnish, Boss!”

In hindsight, he should have known that they’d snitch to Galo, whose attempts to make Lio rest increased tenfold upon returning. At least now with Gueira and Meis on the shoulders of Varys’ and Remi’s mechs, he didn’t have to jump around between them anymore. And even as his limbs grew heavy and his head grew light, seeing the two of them demanding they get their own red and yellow jackets made Lio’s chest grow warm with laughter.

To any of the refugees though, Lio was constant. He masked his shivers in the confines of Galo’s jacket, blamed his coughs on the ash that floated forth from too many, far too many pods. He could be Lio Fotia later. Right now, he was leader of the Burnish for one more day.

Lio wasn’t sure how many hours it’d been, or how many pods they’d opened up when he came to the inconvenient conclusion; his body was done. He’d just helped a young woman exit Aina’s aircraft when he couldn’t draw in enough air, a startled cough escaping his lips as he tipped listlessly into Galo’s waiting grasp.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I liiiive for the team as family trope, there will be plenty more of that to come!


	2. Chapter 2

Galo would be lying if he said he didn’t feel a slight pang of relief when Lio finally went down in his arms. He’d known just how cold he must be getting, how much he’d been through in the last several days. Still, he knew Lio, knew every part of him after their blazing souls bonded when they saved the planet. He knew Lio well enough to know that if he had his mind on saving others, not even Galo could stop him.

Kneeling down, he propped Lio’s boneless form against him, patting his cheeks. “Lio. Lio, can you hear me?”

Pale eyes slowly opened in a half-lidded gaze, leaning his head against Galo’s bare chest and slowly wheezing in a breath. “Quit bein’ so loud…” He murmured irritably.

_He’s so cold…_ “Captain, Lio’s down.” Galo said urgently into his microphone. “His body temperature is way below normal, and I’m not talking by Burnish standards. I’m taking him to the medbay.”

_“Is the Boss okay?!”_

_“You’d better take good care of him, or we’re going to kick your ass-”_

_“I hear you, Galo,”_ Ignis rumbled, effectively interrupting the ex-generals of Mad Burnish. _“We have doctors that have arrived onsite. Keep us updated.”_

Galo was struggling with a lot at the moment. The fall of his idol, a man who had been a father to him, the discovery that the terrorists he swore to end were just scared and tortured citizens, the fact that not only had he set his first fire, but proceeded to light the entire _world_ up in flames.

There was a lot that Galo couldn’t control. But he’d be damned if he wasn’t good at rescuing.

Gathering Lio into his arms, Galo took off at a smooth jog, careful not to jostle him. _He’s so light…_ “Hey, buddy, stay with me, alright?” He said quietly, gently. “Can you tell me where you are right now?”

Lio chuckled dryly, a breathy rasp. “ _Don’t_ use your customer service voice with me, Galo Thymos.”

“Hey, it’s not my customer service voice, it’s my hero work voice!” 

As his feet pounded down the walkway, Galo expected Lio to taunt him with another quip, to threaten Galo to put him down. It was when Lio quieted, his shivers ceasing that Galo grew worried.

“Hey, Lio,” he said, holding him close to his chest, closer to his burning soul to thaw a freezing Burnish. “Talk to me, alright?”

Lio hardly stirred, cheek pressed against Galo’s bare skin. “Meis?” He murmured. “Gueira?”

Despite the urge to bark a loud swear, Galo gave him a blinding smile, even as his pace quickened. “No, Lio, it’s Galo. But Meis and Gueira are fine. They’re kinda worried about you. Keep talking to me, alright?”

“...cold.”

“I know, we’ll warm you up in just a second, I promise. Stay with me, Lio.” Galo took stock of the situation as they rounded a corner, mentally listing everything to report as soon as he got below deck. _Sudden decline, slow breathing, confusion, no longer shivering._

Heris was already by the entrance to the medbay, urgently waving Galo to follow her as she led them to a secluded wing, away from prying eyes.

“Your captain filled me in.” She said breathlessly, helping him lay Lio down on the medical gurney. “We’ve had some ex-Burnish facing issues already, hypothermia. Their bodies are struggling to cope with the sudden loss of the… Promare. The severity seems related to how long ago they first awakened, and how powerful they were.”

When their souls had burned together, Galo had seen flashes, feelings of hunger, a driving need to burn, Guiera trying to teach him how to catch a football and laughing uncontrollably when Lio failed miserably, Meis quietly braiding lime-blonde hair back under the stars on the rare quiet night on the run, the desperate need to protect, to save, to fight but never kill. 

He’d seen images of uncontrollable flames raging from a scared child in a big city who’d been on the run ever since. 

“I think he became a Burnish when he was just a little kid…” Galo said wearily. 

Heris’ eyes widened for a moment she regained a blank expression. “I see…” She hurried to gather equipment. “The other doctors have things covered over there, I can attend to him.”

“No… not you…”

Galo startled, looking down to see Lio glaring at Heris with undisguisguised rage, looking the part of a wrathful god of war despite his unfocused eyes and lips tinted a delicate shade of blue.

Not responding for a moment, Heris deftly slipped a clip over Lio’s finger, and the slow, unsteady, shrill beep of a heart rate filled the silence. Her hand caught Lio’s wrist with surprising strength as he went to pull it off.

“I know,” Heris said quietly. “I did this, and I can’t fix it, no matter how many people I try to help afterwards. But right now, I am the most certified scientist here, and of anybody, I know how Burnish bodies work. I intend to save you, not because of my guilt, not for Aina, but because it’s the right thing to do now.”

Galo didn’t think he’d ever heard Heris use quite so many words at once.

He took Lio’s untethered hand in his own, cradling chilled fingers in his palm. “Trust me.” He said simply, honestly. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise. Trust me.”

Lio slumped back into the pillows, all tension released from his body as he blinked slowly, and nodded. His eyes slowly drifted shut, features calm and relaxed.

Galo gave him a tired grin as Heris carefully placed heating packs strategically over Lio’s form, pulling away his jacket and other outer layers in the process. 

Not looking up from her work, Heris pointed towards an unused cot. “Galo, you should rest as well. Your energy levels must be low.”

“Nah, the captain and others need me, we’d be a mech down.” Galo said regretfully, scratching the back of his neck. 

Heris hummed. “Your captain said that you need to rest. And my sister said she’d kill you if you went topside again without taking a nap, as she put it. And also make you pay the pizza tab?”

Galo blanched. “She wouldn’t.”

“You and I both know what Aina would and would not do, Galo.” Despite her calm expression and soft words, Heris was a flurry of motion. Both of the Ardebit sisters could be downright _scary_. “If you cannot sleep, at least sit down. You may stay here. That is what you want, is it not?”

Opening his mouth to argue, Galo found his gaze drifting to Lio’s form tucked under clean white blankets, and he changed his mind. “Yeah, I got it.” He sat down heavily on the cot. _She’s right, I am getting pretty tired…_

“I will alert you if anything happens.” Heris said blandly, stilling for a moment. Then, she slowly reached over and pat Galo gently on the head, as he’d seen her do occasionally to Aina on the rare occasion she dropped by the station, usually with a packed lunch for her notoriously forgetful sibling. “It’ll be okay.”

Galo beamed, giving her thumbs up. “It’ll be better than okay!” He crowed. 

After all, if he told himself that enough times, maybe it would be.


	3. Chapter 3

Lio was trapped in the volcano again, body suspended in a cage of ice, a cold in his heart that burned worse than the hottest of flames. He couldn’t move, body trying desperately to shiver in such a small, enclosed space. His limbs ached, chest stuttering in pain with every gasp for breath. And this time, he had no Promare in his core to desperately try and keep his fire lit. No rage to boil his blood, no whisper of _Burn, hotter, burn_ to rise into an overwhelming crescendo of cries.

Instead, there were soft voices, hands over his, a dip in the side of his bed to signify the weight of a warm, breathing person. He was cold, freezing, but unlike the volcano, Lio wasn’t _alone_.

He could sometimes understand what they were saying, awakening just enough to hear, _”We’ve got all the Burnish in temporary housing, Boss,”_ A gentle thumb over his knuckles, the point of contact soothing against the chill in Lio’s fingers. _“The mayoral candidate who lost to Kray in the last election has been put in charge for a while. It turns out she was Thyma’s sister. Weird how life connects itself like that, huh?”_

Another voice, from next to the first. _”Yeah, the feds are actually doing shit for once! Me and Meis have got everything under control, so you just worry about feeling better, Boss!”_

Lio wanted to say something, to respond to these figures so close to him, the people that kept his heart warmer than the Promare. But when he tried to move, to squeeze the hand in his, his traitorous body only shivered in response.

Time passed, he knew. He’s not sure how much, but his body was less cold and more pain, deep-rooted aches settling into his bones. A steady, shrill beeping accompanied his every thought, making it difficult to focus. He didn’t want to open his eyes, but when he did, he saw the sun.

Galo gave him a thousand-watt grin that offset his less-than-perky hair and tired eyes. And he’s shirtless, of course he’s shirtless, only Galo would be shirtless in a hospital, Lio thought wryly.

“You’re awake!” Galo cheered loudly, leaning close, too close to Lio, though he found he didn’t mind the warmth that radiated from his body. “We were worried about you, but I knew that your burning soul wouldn’t let a chill get ya down!”

Lio went to open his mouth, to tell Galo to go take a nap, but only a dry rasp emerged, a scratching in his throat. He raised a shaky hand to his face, only to be blocked by a plastic surface covering his nose and mouth.

“Whoa, hey, wait a second,” Galo reached over his bed to palm a glass of water. “Your throat’s gotta be dry, huh? Aina’s sister said that mask is giving you warm oxygen. Pretty cool, huh?”

Lio managed a halfhearted glare.

“Right, right!” Galo carefully pulled the mask away from Lio’s face and hooked an arm under his back to prop him up, holding the straw to his lips. “Take it slow, alright?”

Trying to ignore, the way Galo’s arm muscles practically rippled against his bare skin, Lio took slow, measured sips, the liquid heaven against his parched throat. All too soon, Galo pulled the glass away, gently setting Lio back on the pillows.

He slipped the mask back over Lio’s face, absentmindedly patting his cheek. “There!”

Mind far clearer, Lio looked around, noting the IV in his arm, the heating packs around his body. “H-” He cleared his throat. “How long?”

Galo looked askance, the dark lines under his eyes more prominent in the white hospital lighting. “A couple days.” He said simply. “Your friends have been dropping in, as much as they can, though I guess they’re really busy!”

Lio squinted. “You haven’t been resting.”

Chuckling sheepishly, Galo nodded. “Haven’t really had time, I guess. We’ve been taking shifts with ya, the rest of my squad! I’ve been out helping with clearing the debris when I can, it’s pretty crazy out there! But Lucia made me some new mech, so it’s all good-”

“Galo…”

Galo froze, taking in Lio’s pale face, and reached down to brush a lock of hair behind his ear. “Right, you’ve gotta be really tired, huh? Just rest, the greatest firefighter in the world is here!”

Lio was fighting the abyss of sleep, the darkness promising to soothe his aches and pains, if for only a few hours. “You… too…” he managed to murmur, eyes blinking shut.

This time, it only felt like a moment rather than eternity, but the waking-up part was far different.

Galo was shouting, for one thing. He sounded _angry_ , a tone that Lio was unfamiliar to. Proud, determined, heartbroken. Those were all tones Lio had heard from Galo before. But angry? He’d been pissed at Kray back then in the engine core, sure, but he’d had that same spirit, that same hope to turn everything around and save the world. This tone was different from that, and it scared him.

“I _said_ , you’re not taking him! He didn’t do anything wrong, why can’t you understand that?!”

As he blinked the sleep from his eyes, Lio saw Galo standing protectively in front of his bed, arms outstretched. 

“He is the leader of the terrorist group Mad Burnish.” A voice said firmly, figure blocked by Galo’s broad torso. “He needs to be taken into custody.”

Galo growled. “You heard Heris, his body’s temperature hasn’t stabilized, he wouldn’t survive the conditions you would put him into! Mad Burnish did nothing but fight back to survive mass genocide, you saw the tapes, the evidence, everything that has been released! And if it weren’t for him, you wouldn’t even _be_ here!”

“Be that as it may, Mr. Thymos, the leader of Mad Burnish must answer his crimes for the past thirty years.”

Lio could see Galo pulling his hair in frustration.

“Are you _blind_? He’s not even close to thirty years old, why the hell is he responsible for stuff he wasn't even alive for?!”

To be honest, Lio was surprised that it had taken this long. He was the world’s savior along with Galo, yes. But deep-rooted prejudice couldn’t be wiped out so easily. He doubted it ever would.

Lio propped himself up on one arm, the appendage trembling to hold up his weight. He cleared his throat. 

“Who else?”

Galo turned around, hands flailing wildly as he practically bolted to Lio’s side, holding his shoulders in a supporting grip. Behind him, Lio finally caught sight of the small group of officers, faces stoic and unrelenting. He noted with unease the weapons that hung from the belts, the anti-Burnish technology that would kill a normal Burnish in minutes, let alone an ex-Burnish.

Raising his gaze to meet theirs unflinchingly, Lio shrugged himself from Galo’s soft grip, chin up. “Who else from the Burnish will be taken into custody?”

“Should you come without violence, we can ensure that only the leader of Mad Burnish will answer for their crimes.”

_Tricky bastards… They know a mass arrest would reflect badly on them._ “So I can stand trial for the entirety of Mad Burnish?” Lio confirms, eyes narrowing.

“That’s correct.”

Galo pushed Lio back down into the pillows, face turning a deep crimson, jaw jutting forward as he stomped to the lead officer and poked them in the chest, hard. “Did you not hear me? He could _die_! You’re not taking my friend!”

Undeterred, Lio pushed himself back up, even as pain lanced through his body. He pulled the mask from his face, shuddering with the cool air that spread through his lungs, and yanked the needle from his flesh. Slowly, painstakingly, he swung his legs over the bed and pushed off, because right then, he was the leader of the Mad Burnish, and he would save his people, as many times as it took.

“I understand.” He said hoarsely, pushing his shoulders back despite their minute trembles, muscles clenched and head pounding with the mere effort of standing. “Galo, will you carry a message for Meis and Gueira for me?”

Galo wheeled on him, eyes manic. “Like hell I will! You can tell them yourself!” 

_There’s that spark…_ A faint smile danced on Lio’s lips, teasing. “Galo,” he said quietly, pointedly avoiding the curious stares of the officers. “I accepted the risks of being the face of Mad Burnish a long time ago.To know that my people will be cared for even if I am locked away for life or dead is far better than I could have hoped for a few weeks ago.”

“I don’t care!” Galo spat, grabbing Lio’s arm. “This isn’t justice, so I’m not going to stand for it!”

“Stand down, Galo.” A voice echoed from the doorway.

Galo spun on his heel so fast that he almost made a complete three-sixty on the waxed floor. “Remi!” He shouted. “There’s some crazy shit going on, you gotta-”

The man who Lio recognized to be one of Galo’s coworkers pushed his glasses up his nose and sighed, deeply. “Really, Galo. We leave you here alone for just a few hours and you’re already gearing up to get into a fistfight with the police force?” 

“Yeah, well you can tell these police officers that they can shove their-”

Remi raised a hand, stopping Galo mid sentence. He immediately had Lio’s immense respect.

“Believe it or not, I came here with an intention of something other than listening to you yell.” Remi said, pinching the bridge of his nose. He turned to the officers, who looked marginally uncomfortable. “I apologize for any inconvenience Galo Thymos has caused you, he is still a rookie in our ranks.”

“Hey!”

He pulled a thick wad of papers from his jacket, politely proffering them to the head of the police. “With the disbandment of Freeze Force, Burning Rescue squads now have the highest authority in dealing with the terrorists of Mad Burnish.”

“They ain’t terrorists, Remi!”

“As such,” Remi continued, unperturbed. “Captain Ignis Ex of Burning Rescue squad number three has been granted custody of the Mad Burnish leader Lio Fotia until further notice.”

Lio wasn’t sure how Remi managed it, but within only minutes the young man had cleared the entire room of police officers. He’d wondered how the Burning Rescue team was so capable in the past, how they were always on top of the most elaborate plans Mad Burnish could throw at them. He didn’t question it anymore.

As soon as the last officer exited the doorway, Galo’s glare became a bright grin as he practically squealed, grabbing Remi into a bear hug. “You guys are the best, I knew Ignis wouldn’t let injustice prevail!”

“Galo, please let go of me.”

Lio folded his arms. “I thank you for your efforts,” he said carefully, tactfully. “But they are… misplaced. In time, I will still go on trial. With all Mad Burnish has done, I will be lucky to receive only one life sentence.”

Remi disengaged himself from Galo’s loosened hold, readjusting his glasses again. “Lucia found your birth records, Lio Fotia. Born to a noble family in Europe, presumed killed in a fire at age eight during a family trip to the state of Michigan in America.”

He stiffened. “That’s not-”

“You’re in your early twenties, too young to have been the leader of Mad Burnish. Not to mention, countless eyewitnesses have supplied that you took the position less than a year ago, at which time the deaths caused by the terrorist group dropped to zero. You will be responsible for arson, yes. But arson does not warrant a life sentence.”

“I won’t let the previous leaders of Mad Burnish take the heat.” Lio said coldly. _They won’t touch Gueira and Meis as long as I’m alive._

Remi hummed. “That’s the thing. We were informed by now-former members of the terrorist group that the previous leader must have surely been killed in the events of the Second World Blaze. Enforcement cannot seem to locate their identity, whoever they were.”

Lio breathed out. “Oh…”

Galo beamed. “Great thinking, Remi! He’ll just get a bunch of community service, which means he can join Burning Rescue with the reconstruction efforts, so he’ll join the team, and he can come with us to pizza and even movie nights, and he can-”

Galo’s excited rambling in the background, Lio felt all his strength seeping out with the adrenaline, the will to keep himself upright. He began trembling in earnest, every gasp for breath searing through his chest as he slid to the floor.

The chattering stopped, and warm hands felt around Lio’s pulse, his forehead, then slipped under his knees and back in a sturdy hold.

“I’m fine, I’m fine…” Lio panted, even as his vision swam. “Just tired, I’m fine, Galo.”

“Like hell you are,” Galo said irritably, depositing him on the bed, rearranging heating packs and putting the medical equipment back into place. “Like I literally said five minutes ago, you aren’t keeping a stable temperature, you shouldn’t have gotten up.”

Lio sunk back into the pillows, eyes half-lidded. “I didn’t have a choice.”

Remi sighed from the doorway. “I’ll talk to Aina and see about getting him transported over to the station, away from prying eyes.”

“Thanks, Remi!” Galo chirped back, then turned to Lio with a serious face. “Why the hell would you do that, huh? Haven’t you been the martyr enough?” Despite his harsh words, his hands were gently, deftly reinserting the IV and hooking him back up to the heated air.

“I will do anything to protect them, my family.” Lio whispered. “You are the same.”

Galo frowned. “Except kill someone or break my own moral code.” He admitted. 

Lio chuckled, a soft wheeze. “Except that.”

“But how would your family feel if you had up and died just to keep them from being put on trial?” Galo demanded. “I’m like, ninety percent sure that you took over from your generals, right? Your friends, they’ve been here every spare minute they have, the way they hold you and talk to you, it would have _killed_ them, I think.”

Lio hadn’t expected a sudden pang of guilt in his chest, a bitter feeling that rose in his throat like bile. “I couldn’t…”

“You gave up back there.” Galo said, but there was no bite to his words, only a quiet understanding. “The Lio I burned the world with wouldn’t give in so easily. He would fight back for the justice he knew was true.”

He couldn’t find the words to respond to that one. “You’re a strange one, Galo Thymos.” He managed.

Galo grinned toothily. “Maybe. But on my burning firefighter’s soul, I pledge to make sure that you don’t give up, ever again!” He patted Lio’s shoulder. “Got it?”

As Lio closed his eyes, only one thought ran through his head.

_He’s an idiot…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have two more chapters already written, so I'll make sure to keep a nice steady schedule of release on this fic! Thank you so much for your comments, they're super amazing!


	4. Chapter 4

Trying to make Lio rest and recover was like trying to herd an ornery cat, something that Galo had tried to do many times with the stray that tended to hang around his apartment’s dumpster. He’d tried to befriend the creature, offering it the most expensive cat food he found at the supermarket, only for it to hiss at him and scratch his arm when he reached out to pet it.

He still left food for the hungry little thing, though. He hoped it was doing alright, with the fires and chaos and with Galo not having been home in so long. Galo vowed to pick up the deluxe salmon flavor next time he returned.

Lio had only gotten more adamant about being active after being moved to the Burning Rescue headquarters, set up in the small medbay built specifically for its members. Whenever Galo turned around, he was into something, snatching a file from the refugee settlement camps or drawing up plans for distribution of donations and food. 

Galo was at least thankful that Lio’s core had been stabilizing to normal temperatures more and more often. It seemed that the other ex-Burnish hospitalized for the same reason were in recovery as well, though he knew not all had made it. He was glad Lio was among the lucky.

He was even more elated when Ignis came into the station with Lio’s ex-generals in tow, announcing that the pair would also be joining the Burning Rescue team for the time being, since they were uniquely adapted to helping the ex-Burnish adjust to their new environment.

He’d only just told Geuira and Meis about what happened in the hospital, how Lio had tried to turn himself in for the entirety of Mad Burnish. On one hand, Galo knew that Lio would be pissed that he ever breathed a word to them about the matter. On the other, stronger hand, Galo knew this was Lio’s team, and if anything happened to Galo’s team, he’d want to know.

“Fucking hell…” Guiera muttered, clenching his jaw hard enough to crack cement. Meis only nodded in agreement.

The rising tension seemed to summon Lucia from the depths of her blueprints, Aina not far behind her. Lucia handed her a lollipop from her coat pocket, pulling a second one for herself from a neverending stash with Vinny on her lap. Whenever there was drama in the station, the two (plus Vinny) were always the first and second to descend to the scene. 

Galo wasn’t particularly proud of it, but he was usually third. 

Of course, it was at that moment that Lio chose to walk past, a pen held in his mouth as he looked poured over sheets of paper, the names of the people who had been locked and tortured on the Parnassus. The ones who survived, and the ones who didn’t.

He still looked too pale, Galo mused, even wrapped in a heated jacket of Lucia’s proud design. If his core dropped below a certain temperature, small speakers in the pockets would sound a cheerful jingle, alerting everybody in the vicinity. Naturally, the song also played if Lio tried to take the jacket off. Galo had slipped one of his precious snack cakes on Lucia’s desk as thanks for her that day.

He wondered if she’d invent him something to help make friends with that stray cat, too.

“Oi!” Guiera called out, a dangerous note of irritation in his tone.

Lio paused, raising an eyebrow. 

As Meis shooed Aina and Lucia off back to their stations, Guiera strode over to Lio, snatching the papers from his hands and slamming them down on the nearest desk.

Lio pulled the pen from between his lips, twirling it delicately in his fingers. He waited patiently, motioning for Gueira to continue, entirely unperturbed, even haughty.

Galo stood on the balls of his toes, ready to intervene. Gueira looked ready to scream, to punch, brow drawn in a permanent scowl. He knew that if the Promare still existed that the entire building would be wrapped in flames.

That was why he froze in confusion when Guiera lunged forward to wrap his arms around Lio’s form. He pressed Lio’s head into his shoulder, even as Lio stiffened, eyes blown wide.

Only Meis seemed unsurprised, reaching over to brush a stray lock of hair from Lio’s face.

“Why wouldja do that, huh?” Guiera said gruffly.

Lio shot Galo a glare from the confines of Guiera’s hold. Galo gave him a thumbs up.

“You knew that we were going to see things through with you to the end.” Meis said quietly.

Lio remained silent for a minute, his arms slowly snaking up to return the embrace. “Later.” His voice was muffled by Guiera’s jacket, familiar leather despite Burning Rescue’s dress code.

Nobody followed the dress code anyway. Galo couldn’t fault the guy for wearing leather when most of them would go practically or even completely shirtless during full rescue missions. Except for Remi, who always managed full uniform even on the hottest of days.

“You won’t cheap out on us?” Guiera asked.

Lio nodded. “Later.” He repeated, then shivered. An old pop tune reverberated through the room, making its inhabitants jump, except for Lucia, who cackled and pressed a button to silence it.

Guiera smirked. “Guess its your naptime, Boss.”

“Fuck you.” There was no real heat behind the words as Lio strode over to the massive couch encompassing the break area. He knew well enough that refusing wasn’t an answer, though that hadn’t stopped him from trying before.

But Galo noted that he didn’t complain when Meis and Guiera sandwiched him between the two of them instead of retreating to grab a blanket, the former moving Lio’s head to rest on his shoulder. They stayed like that even as Lio drifted off, succumbing to their own exhaustion and eventually joining him in slumber.

Galo pulled out his phone to take several pictures. Lucia had given all three of the new recruits their own phones, and he knew that Meis would be disappointed if he didn’t send him at least one copy.

He’d seen similar configurations at the temporary housing areas offered for the ex-Burnish people with no home to go back to. Children and adults alike would huddle in small groups to sleep, tangles of bodies oftentimes resting in positions that made Galo’s neck ache. At first he’d assumed that it was because they were cold without the Promare to keep their body warm and scrambled to find extra blankets and heaters, but Meis and Guiera had assured him that it was just how their people slept. 

If he walked too close, a single watcher found in any group would snap their eyes open, their gaze flicking to the source of the sound and studying him intently before closing, though not in sleep. There would always be somebody on watch, even when Galo promised them on the honor of his burning soul that they would be safe.

Galo wanted to believe that the three ex-Burnish on his couch were all sleeping peacefully because they trusted him and their environment, but it was more likely due to the long hours they’d been pulling recently.

“That’s cute.” Aina said softly, and Galo nodded in agreement.

She pulled over a second chair to her desk and motioned for Galo to join her. As he did so, she pulled her legs up into a criss-cross position.

“My sister sent me an update.” Aina said, avoiding Galo’s gaze. “Now that she’s released all her research and made her statement against Kray, she’s probably going to be tried soon.”

Galo nodded patiently.

“Because of her statement and admission of guilt, she’ll be let off easily, all things considering, especially since most of the scientists ran off and won’t face any consequences,” Aina traced the grooves of her desk, and Galo noted that the framed picture of her and Heris, Aina’s arm slung around her shoulder with a massive grin, was missing from its surface. “She’ll probably be confined, but she’ll be allowed to help with the reconstruction of the city and its technology. I’ll be able to visit her. She might even be able to keep an apartment. We could keep living together, like we always have.”

“Yeah?”

Aina drew her knees up to her chest, eyes welling with tears. “I don’t know how to feel, what to do or say to her. I’m furious, but also just… sad.”

Galo nudged her in the ribs with his elbow. “So… smad?”

She laughed wetly. “Yeah, smad describes it pretty well, huh?” Aina turned to him seriously. “And what about you, Galo?”

Galo avoided her gaze. “I didn’t know Heris very well-”

“You know that’s not what I’m talking about.”

His gut sank, the words of Kray echoing in his ears. _An eyesore… nothing but an eyesore…_ “Yeah.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it. He took a deep breath, and tried again. “I don’t know.” He said simply. 

Kray had been… everything. His motivation for living and fighting after his home was destroyed. The man who had rescued him, saved him, raised him. His savior who turned out to be using him, abusing him, trying to kill him.

Aina jumped up, throwing her arms around Galo’s neck. She was warm, her pink hair washed with strawberry-scented shampoo tickling his nose. 

“We’re going to get through this.” She said firmly, tears dripping onto his shirt. “We’re Burning Rescue, right? We work through things together. I’m here for you, you’re here for me, right?”

Galo closed his eyes, not trusting himself to speak as he nodded furiously.

A lollipop solidly thunked him in the head. “Huh?!”

Lucia sat typing at her computer innocently, Vinny the clearly framed culprit with candy clenched between his two little paws. She turned to grin at them toothily, flashing them a peace sign.

“Remember, dummies, Burning Rescue is a team,” she quipped, her other hand never ceasing in action, moving to toggle a joystick. “We’ve gotchu, even if you need to be emo for a little bit.”

Galo locked eyes with Aina. She was smiling, and they nodded.

“Right!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm living next to an epicenter of the corona virus outbreaks in the US, so my schedule has been thrown out of whack! I might be having way more time to write or way less, totally depends on how my professors choose to do things, it's pretty crazy! As always I love talking with ya'll, if anybody wants to DM me and ask for oneshot ideas or anything of the sort my tumblr has the same username as here! Thank you all for reading!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO UH I TOTALLY ACCIDENTALLY SKIPPED A CHAPTER THAT I THOUGHT I POSTED LAST WEEK SO IF THE CHAPTER SEEMED LIKE A SUDDEN JUMP THAT'S WHY!! Super sorry, it's all fixed up and in order now!

On his first day allowed in the field, Lio had been looking forward to seeing his people again, to see familiar faces that for the majority of his life had been the only family he’d ever known.

He hadn’t expected to be treated like a hero.

The ex-Burnish were excited to see Burning Rescue, a massive comfort to Lio, who knew that such deep-rooted fear took time to be quelled. And of course Galo was immediately swarmed upon arrival, children bolting over to demand rides on his Matoi and old matrons hobbling over to ask if he’d been eating enough, and if he was cold wearing that thin shirt. His people now viewed Burning Rescue as a source of hope, and for that Lio was glad.

But when Lio had stepped out of the rescue vehicle, carrying a box of rations, he’d been practically bowled over by people clamoring to greet him, to clasp his shoulders, to embrace him, a resounding chant of _“Boss! It’s the Boss! Boss!”_ spreading through the camps like wildfire.

There were people he knew, people from Mad Burnish, but there were also faces he’d never seen before, people pulled from their homes where they’d been living happy, regular lives. And despite never having known him before, they stared at him with the same adoring gaze. Children he’d never met were clamoring to show him their toys and drawings along with ones he had helped raise since wailing infanthood.

Lio smiled and slipped the mask of leaderhood on again, voice gentle yet commanding as he helped organize the distribution of food, blankets, and other necessities. All in all, he wasn’t unimpressed with the state of the camps. Hotels had been cleared out to be used as temporary housing, along with school gymnasiums and other public spaces. It wasn’t always ideal, but his people all had beds, heating, food, and clean water. It was far more than they’d ever had in the past.

Many had been able to return home right away, children returning to parents, lovers reuniting, families made whole again. Some were taken in by friends or family made along the way, crashing on couches or setting out sleeping bags in the living room. 

There were also those who had no home to return to, or who weren’t welcome there anymore.

Still, Lio knew the strength of his people. He saw new families forming, able adults taking in children who had become siblings, forming units of safety and love and homes, even if it was in the room of a dank hotel. He saw the warm huddle around the cold, the careful distribution of goods to make sure those who needed extra food or blankets had what they needed. And he was proud.

He’d been dragged out to pizza with the team afterwards, sore and exhausted, the Promare no longer able to provide him with inhuman speed and strength. He was seated next to Galo, who had been spouting out some nonsense about the wonders and glories of “Inferno Volcano Margherita Mega Max Pizza”.

A portly man bustled out to the table, bushy moustache quivering as he welcomed them to the grand re-opening of the restaurant. Behind him, a young man with dark hair pulled back at the nape of his neck stood hesitantly, a small smile on his face.

Galo crowed, almost knocking the table over in his haste to reach the pair, jumping up and down with glee as he slammed his hands on their shoulders.

Remi leaned over the table towards a confused Mad Burnish trio. “Freeze Force raided this place,” he said quietly. “They took the cook, and arrested the owner for trying to protect him.”

Lio looked closer, and indeed the cook was missing an arm, disintegrated to the elbow. On his other side, he could feel Meis stiffen.

The cook made eye contact with him, and his hesitant smile broadened into something more genuine. 

“Oi!” Galo practically shouted, poking the cook in the chest. “You gotta place to crash right? I haven’t seen ya at the food distributions.”

The owner, who Lio guessed was named Tony based on the sign of the restaurant, chuckled. “He’s staying with me, of course! With all the rebuilding going on around here, there’s going to be a lot of hungry mouths to feed! And who else makes the best pizzas in all of Promepolis?”

Nodding, the cook gave Galo a reassuring nod. “Things are a bit… hard to adjust to.” He said, and Lio noted the dark rings under his eyes. “But this is where I’m meant to be.”

Mad Burnish or not, his people were strong.

And as he took a bite of the pizza that Galo had been promising him would be the best experience of his life, Lio found himself heartily agreeing with Tony’s assessment of his abilities. On the run, fresh food was a luxury reserved for the children or elderly. Canned goods, packaged pastries with no expiration date, and boxed macaroni and cheese had made up the majority of his diet. Lio wasn’t sure if he’d ever be able to go back.

Galo leaned close to him, mere inches from his face. “Well?” He said expectantly, mouth full. “It’s amazing, right?”

Lio blinked owlishly, taking another bite as an answer.

“Doesn’t compare to real Texan barbeque.” Meis said haughtily, though he and Gueira were both on their second slices already.

“Yeehaw.” Lucia said, making Aina choke in laughter. Varys pounded a fist against her back helpfully, while Remi put his head in his hands.

Lio grinned, and before he could help himself, said, “He’s got the cowboy boots to prove it. And Guiera is the infamous Florida Man.”

Galo slammed his hand against the table as Meis and Guiera both groaned. “Are you serious?!” He turned to Guiera. “Have you ever wrestled an alligator?”

Guiera looked offended. “Of course I’ve wrestled an alligator, dumbass. I was a teenager in Florida.”

Tears were coming out of Aina’s eyes now as she wheezed, and Lucia looked positively delighted. 

Ignis just looked tired.

The feeling in Lio’s chest was… unfamiliar. It was warm, but not in the way that the Promare had burned. It was softer, filling. He found himself liking the sensation.

An incredible number of pizzas later, Galo leaned back in his chair, a satisfied expression on his face. “It’s been so long since pizza night, I almost forgot how good it tasted!”

Aina scoffed, fully recovered from her fit of laughter. “Yeah right, you haven’t shut up about it in the last month. You haven’t let any of _us_ forget about it, either.”

“I think it’s time you all head home for the night.” Ignis said with a finality that could not be ignored. “I’ll email everyone their schedules. With the worst of the debris cleared now, we don’t need to have everyone working constant shifts anymore. We’ll go back to our normal schedule.”

“But captain!” Galo protested. “We gotta keep going, they need our help!” 

Remi sighed. “Galo, you haven’t had even a day off since the Second World Blaze. We’re burning ourselves out. Even _you_ aren’t impervious to exhaustion.”

A cold shard of guilt lodged itself in Lio’s throat. While he’d been stuck resting the last several weeks, everyone around him had been working tirelessly to clean up the mess he’d helped create. And yet, even after just one day of work he was _spent_. 

Aina’s sister had warned him to take it easy, that his body wouldn’t be back up to full strength for a while yet, that he’d never regain the impossible strength he’d held with the Promare. But he needed to work, to help, for his muscles to burn enough that he could forget just how cold and empty everything else had become.

Ignis pushed up his sunglasses, and Lio could suddenly see the resemblance between his and Remi’s mannerisms. He wondered if Remi had intentionally mimicked him, or if it had been an unconscious decision. “Have you figured out a place to stay, Lio?” He asked. “Staying at headquarters alone wouldn’t be ideal.”

Lio shrugged. He knew that the set-up hadn’t been permanent, the backpack of clothes Aina had lent him packed up and ready to transport at anytime. Frankly, he was grateful to have a small bag of clean toiletries, a luxury that was rarely afforded while on the run.

“I’ll stay at one of the temporary housing areas.” He said easily, unbothered. “The school by headquarters has plenty of cots set up, and it’s close enough to work that I can walk.”

Under the table, Meis squeezed his knee. “Me and Gueira are in a small apartment, it’s equal distance to all the settlements. You’re staying there, we’ll set up the couch”

Before Lio could open his mouth to argue that he wasn’t going to allow himself to be given special treatment, Galo stood up, almost knocking over the plastic cups of soda on the table in his excitement. 

“You should come stay with me!” Galo practically shouted, eyes sparkling. “My apartment is big enough for two people! It’ll be like a slumber party!”

Lio’s face flushed. “Thank you, Galo, but I’ll just-”

“I think that’s a _great_ idea.” Guiera interrupted loudly. Lio didn’t like the look he was exchanging with Meis.

Aina gave him a sympathetic smile. “He won’t let you refuse, you might as well just roll with it. And he makes really good pancakes.”

“Great!” Galo jumped over to practically drag Lio out of his chair. “Come on, we can take my bike! I always carry an extra helmet, safety first!”

Lio looked at Guiera and Meis for help as he was pushed towards the roadside parking, but was only met with identical shit-eating grins.

“Have fun, Boss!”

“Be safe, Boss!”

He managed to flash them the middle finger with Galo’s back turned, and was met with howling laughter.

Lio wasn’t surprised to find that Galo’s motorcycle was covered in garish coloring, the paint job obviously chosen specifically to his preferences. A red and yellow helmet was pushed over his head, the inside padded. He preferred riding without one, but arguing with Galo about something safety-related wouldn’t go anywhere.

Plus, it smelled like Galo, so he couldn’t complain too much.

Galo grinned brightly as he straddled the bike, patting the seat area behind him. “Come on! It’s not far, Ignis helped me pick it out! Said I couldn’t live at the station all the time, which totally threw off my groove, but everyone helped decorate it!”

Clambering up behind him, Lio wrapped his arms around Galo’s waist. For safety, of course. “You know, I’m beginning to come to the conclusion that you really are just genuinely excited about everything.”

“I can’t help it! It’s my bur-”

“Your burning soul, I know.” Lio’s fond smile was hidden under his helmet. 

“Damn right!” Galo crowed, carefully affixing his own safety gear. “Now hold on tight!”

It wasn’t Detroit by any means. The engine didn’t purr as loud, the vibrations didn’t travel up his spine as the dust whipped up around his body and tangled in his hair in the middle of the desert. It wasn’t fast enough to take his breath away, but with his limbs fastened securely around Galo’s warm waist, he found that it was enough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the wonderful comments! As always, I always love to chat, don't hesitate to reach out if you're bored or need somebody to talk to right now! I'm always down to write somebody a short story or one-shot too if they would like to request anything specific, I know how tough this time can be with all the quarantines going on, if I can provide anybody with some entertainment or a little bit of fun please let me know!!!!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ooooopsss so this chapter was actually posted around two days ago, but rereading it today I realized that I actually forgot to post a whole chapter before this! Everything is all fixed up now, thank you for your patience!

In hindsight, Galo should have expected this, given the way people tended to gravitate towards Lio despite his aloof personality, one that would turn soft and gentle in a moment for any child that tugged on his leg or any scared ex-Burnish seeking comfort during uncertain times.

Still, he stared open-mouthed as the stray cat he’d been trying to befriend for _months_ practically wrapped itself around Lio’s proffered hand, purring like an engine.

A small smile tugged at Lio’s lips. “She’s cute,” he said thoughtfully, scratching the creature’s chin as he crouched on the pavement. “Does she belong to anybody?”

Galo pouted, the bag of canned cat food he’d they stop to buy resting on the seat of his bike. “No, she’s a stray. A very _angry_ stray.” He eyed the cat suspiciously. “Be careful, Lio. She’s got wicked claws.”

Giving him an incredulous look, Lio scooped the cat up, which went limp and boneless in his arms, purrs only intensifying. “Galo, I really can’t tell when you’re joking or not.”

“I’m not joking! She’s so mean!”

Humming curiously, Lio held the cat towards Galo. As if on cue, it let out a hissing screech, bolting from his arms into the darkness of the alleyway.

Galo threw his arms in the air. “She hates me!” He cried out, furiously ripping the top off a can of cat food and setting it next to a bowl he’d set out weeks before, snatching a water bottle from his boke to fill it up. “I feed her, I love her, and she hates me!”

Lio stood frozen in surprise, arms still outstretched. Slowly, he brought his arms to his chest and snorted. And then he laughed, and Galo felt like time stood still.

He promised then and there that he’d make Lio laugh again, whatever it took.

Recovering quickly, Lio crossed his arms, bundled in the red and yellows of the Burning Rescue uniform, though he’d bluntly refused the gaudy set of baggy pants, opting instead to wear familiar tight-fitting pants with a strange number of belts that seemed to serve no purpose to Galo.

Given what some of Lio’s teammates wore, Ignis had seemed almost relieved by the particular breach of dress code, muttering something about how he at least _wore_ clothes.

“So, are you going to invite me inside, or what?”

Galo shook himself out of his thoughts and _beamed_. “Absolutely!” Scrambling to lock his precious bike up, he gestured grandly towards the modest apartment building. “Welcome to my humble abode!”

Lio’s lips quirked up again, and Galo decided that he liked the expression. “Yes, I can see that, thank you.”

He’d been lucky that his apartment had been spared from the damage and chaos of the events of the Second World Blaze. Some of his teammates weren’t so fortunate, living at Ignis’ place until their homes could be rebuilt (Galo had tried to insist that they come live with him, but while his place was clean and comfortable, Ignis owned a wine cellar and a pool table, and Galo couldn’t hold that against them).

He fumbled for his keys, crowing triumphantly as he pulled the ring from the depths of his pockets. Scanning them inside, Galo pulled Lio after him up the flights of stairs. 

“It’s nothing super amazing,” he called back. “But it’s great for hosting the team! I’ll grab the spare key from Aina tomorrow, that way you have your own!”

He couldn’t see Lio’s face as the other tightly replied, “That won’t be necessary, Galo. I’ll be searching for my own place as soon as I am able and get out of your hair.”

Galo waved him off as they stopped in front of his door, a bright, cheerful blue. “No, no, my place is your place, Lio!” 

Before Lio could open his mouth to protest, Galo jammed his key into the lock and swung the door open theatrically. “Welcome to my home! Take off your shoes in the entrance, there’s a hook for your coat, are you hungry? I’ve got pizza in the fridge- wait, no, on second thought, don’t eat that, it’s been in there for over a month. Oh yikes, I don’t even wanna _open_ the fridge, did I have milk in there? And-”

“Galo,” Lio interrupted firmly. “Your apartment is very nice, thank you.”

And it was, Galo was proud to admit it. The brightly-colored couch that Varys had helped him haul in was plush and comfortable (his teammates had crashed there enough times to back him up on that), framed pictures of him and his squad stood on the mantle next to the television. Galo particularly adored the the small replica of a matoi that Lucia had made for him from a 3D printer on the coffee table.

Lio curiously stepped into the kitchen, brow furrowed as he examined the polished countertops, free from dust, the shiny appliances (and a well-used coffee machine, courtesy of Remi). Roving eyes settled on simple bundle of flowers that stood in a glass of water, the petals fresh and soft.

Galo jumped as Lio whirled around, posture tight and defensive. “Galo,” he murmured quietly, seriously. “Don’t panic. We need to leave. Now. Somebody’s been here, recently.”

He looked over Lio’s shoulder at the flower and a splitting grin overcame his face. “Aina, you absolute queen!” Bustling past Lio, he tore the fridge door open, cackling at the sight of fresh groceries in a clean interior free of spoiled milk. There was even a case of beer in the corner. “Don’t worry, Lio, it was just Aina! She must’ve come in while we were working! I’ll have to pay her back with my superb cooking skills!”

Though Lio lowered his fighting stance, his shoulders remained stiff, gaze flickering around the small apartment cautiously. “I… see.”

Something clicked in Galo’s brain, and he closed the fidge door slowly. “Lio…” he said cautiously. “Do you remember the last time you were in someone’s home? And I’m not talking like a cheap motel in the desert, I mean like a _home_.”

Lio’s silence was telling enough.

Galo had seen that same lost look in the eyes of the people he’d been working with the last several weeks, the unfamiliarity in a world previously inaccessible to them. He wasn’t the best at comforting people, he knew. He was too loud, too blunt, too excited. That job was better suited to Aina, who was gentle, or Remi, who was calm.

But he didn’t know how to be anybody but himself, so he reached out to take Lio’s cool hands in his and grinned. “You’re probably tired, huh? Come on, I’ll show you the bathroom and how to use the shower! Your bag of stuff is still at the station, right? I’ll grab you some toiletries and clothes from my closet, though they’re definitely gonna be _way_ too big on you, huh? We’ll get you some clothes soon, I promise!”

“You don’t have to do all of this, you know.”

Galo blinked. “Huh?”

Lio took a deep breath. “You don’t owe me anything. You saved my life more than once. I don’t… _need_ anything. I don’t want to take any more advantage of your kindness than I already have.”

Galo scoffed, loudly. “I’m not doing this because I’m nice, I’m doing this because you’re my friend! You’d do the same for me, it’s how friends work! Now come on!”

Lio was quiet after that, listening intently as Galo explained that even though the dial in the shower _looked_ like turning it to the right would give you hot water, you actually had to turn it to the left. He was quiet when Galo bundled a large and fluffy towel into his arms, topped off by the smallest shorts and shirt that he could find from his college days in the darkest recesses of his closet.

Galo allowed himself to relax when he heard the water turn on from beyond the closed bathroom door, running his fingers through his hair, which desperately needed more gel. He went back into his bedroom, no longer distracted by the task of fetching Lio some clothes, and froze.

He’d forgotten the posters, the pictures and news clippings that he’d pasted all over the walls. Kray’s face loomed over him, the once-comforting visage twisting into a sneer. 

_An eyesore,_ The faces said. _Nothing but an eyesore._

Galo wasn’t even aware that he was ripping them off his walls until there was a pile of shredded paper and picture frames at his feet. Stalking to the kitchen, he snatched up a garbage bag and stuffed it full, throwing it into his closet with promises of destruction later.

He wouldn’t let himself cry, especially not when the sound of the shower had just ceased.

Instead, Galo bundled together spare blankets from the linen closet, the thick afghan that Varys had made him, soft pillows and sheets coming together on the couch. He wanted to offer Lio the bed, but knew the other well enough to understand what his response would be. So, he made the couch as comfortable and warm as he could.

Minutes later, thoughts still in a haze, he heard soft footsteps behind him. Even in the smallest size he could find, his t-shirt still hung loosely off Lio’s shoulder. Galo smiled broadly, pointing at the couch. “Hey, Lio! Whaddya think? Pretty sweet, huh?”

Lio didn’t even glance at the massive pile of blankets, gaze piercing. “Galo, are you alright? You look… tired.”

Galo latched onto the suggestion gratefully, even though he still felt the effects of adrenaline racing through his veins. _“An eyesore… wish you had died…”_ “Yeah, I guess I am pretty beat,” he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “I think I’m gonna take a shower and head in for the night. Lemme know if you need anything, alright?

He affixed Lio with a stern glare, reaching out to Lio’s wrist, where a narrow black band was snugly secured, Lucia’s invention. “If you’re having another cold attack, that’ll let me know, so don’t try to hide anything, or we’re going back to the jacket, got it?”

Lio remained silent for a moment, and Galo felt as though he was seeing right through him, straight through the core of his burning soul. It made him shiver, even though the he’d turned up the thermostat far higher than he normally ever would for Lio’s sake.

Finally, Lio nodded. “Sleep well, Galo.” He said quietly. 

And when Galo emerged from the bathroom, hair damp and towel slung over his shoulder, if he threw his comforter over Lio’s sleeping form, there were no witnesses to prove it.


End file.
